Steering-lock for vehicles.



N0. 697,699. Patented Apr. l5, I902.

G. RABORN. STEERING LOBKFUB VEHICLES.

1 (Application filed Sept. 11, 1901. v

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shpet I.

WITNEEIEEEII INVENTEJH:

f y a/MAW Patented Apr. [5, I902.

G. P. ABURN.

STEERING LOCK FOR VEHICLES.

(Application filed Sapt. 11. 1901') 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

lNvENTljRt WSTNE 551: 5;

N'TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IGEORGE P. ABORN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF'ONE-l-IALF TO B. J. FLINN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEERING-LOCK FOR'VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,699, dated April 15, 1.902.

I Application filed September 1l. l ,9 01. Serial No. 75,042. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concerns Be it known that I, GEORGE P. ABORN, of

Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Steering-Locks,

of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to those looking mechanisms principally designed to be applied to the steering apparatus of vehicles to and vessels, having provisions for looking a movable member against its reversing thrust by means of automatic locking-clutches which are released by an initial slight movement of a steering-handle or other actuating device 1 5 whose subsequent movement imparts motion to the said movable member.

Theobject of the invention is to provide a simple and compact mechanism of this character capable of a strong and secure locking action with a ready release and an absenc of radial thruston pivots. k

Of the-accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a steering-lock constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a reverse plan view. Fig. erepresents a perspective view of one of the members of 'the device hereinafter referred to. Fig. 5 3c representsa longitudinal vertical section of a modified form of my invention. Fig. 6 represents a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a reverse plan view of said modification. Fig. 8 represents a perspective 3 5 view of parts thereof.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a rod adapted to be connected to the steering- "wheels of a vehicle, the rudder of a boat, or

other member and pi-votally connected to the outer end of an oscillatory arm 2, to which a swinging movement is imparted to move the steering-wheelspr other member and which 5 directly receives the reversing strain or thrust of said wheels. The arin'2 is loosely'journaled on an actuating'shaft or stem 3, which has the steering-handle 4 or other actuating device attached to it and is journaled' to rotateinabase-platefi. Said plate is provided with segmentaklocking members 6 7, the .up-

perone of which is illustrated as a flange cast on the plate 5, while the lower member is a parallel-bar bolted to the base-plate and separated by a space from the flange 6. these locking members are formed concentricinner and outer lockingasurfaces 8 8 9 9.

The arm 2 is formed with a large recess, in the corners of Whichare located two pairs of locking-rolls 10 10, which cooperate with the 60, locking-surfaces 8 9'in the baseplate and with complemental inclined locking-surfaces 11 11, formed on the arm 2. The rolls are normally pressed by springs 12 12 into the narrowest part of the recess formed by the surfaces 8 9 and the inclines 11. The two rolls 10 and inclines 11 on one side of the median axis of the arm 2 form, together with the fixed locking-surfaces 8 9,a pair of clutches which act in opposite radial directions, and 7c the two rolls and inclines on the opposite side i of said median axis form, together with the said fixedlocking-surfaces, a second pair'of clutches acting radially in opposition to each I other and angularly in opposition to the first 7 5" said pair of clutches.

13 is an actuating-arm fixed to the lower end of the steering-stem 3 and having ahead .14 located between the two pairs of rolls 10 10 and a shank or neck just behind said head, '80

which is adapted to engage either one of two bosses or abutments 16 16, formed on the arm 2', but is capable of a limited amount of free play between said abutments. p

When the arm'lo is in its central position between the abutments 16 16, both pairs of rolls 10' lOfassume their locking positions,

and as these pairs of rolls act in angular opposition the arm 2 will become locked to the base plate 5 against angular movementin both directions. The entire reversing thrust of the arm '2 is therefore borneby the lock ing-surfaces .on the base-p1ate 5. Movement of the actuating-arm 13 by reason of rotation of the stem 3 to either side of the centralized 3 position of said arm will unlock the two rolls 10 10 on that side, and as the arm 13 comes into engagement with the corresponding abutment ,16 the arm 2 will be oscillated and the steering-wheels moved.

By means of the above-described construc 'tion I-provide a. simple device of few parts in which the locking devices are adapted to be located on a long radius from the center of rotary movement-namely, the shaft 3-' thereby obtaining great leverage and a secure looking action. At the same'time the two clutches acting in radial opposition, but 10- cated on the same side of the center of rotary motion, prevent any radial thrust on the arm 2 from the locking action and consequent cramping of the arm 2 and wear in its bearings. I'do not confine myself to the exact proportions or arrangement herein set forth.

For instance, other forms of clutches may be employed. The arms 2 and 13, with their fixed locking-surfaces may be extended cirlooking devices, may be duplicated and the cumferentially to any desired degree.

Figs. 5 to 8 represent a modification in .which two fixed inwardly-facing locking-surfaces 15 15- are provided on the base-plate 5,

and the locking-rolls 10 10 of each pair have;

an outward-locking action away from each other instead of an inward locking action toward each other, as in the previously-described embodiment. The segment7 of Figs. 1 to 4 is omitted in this form-of my invention; but the other parts arethe same in function, though difiering in shape.

It is obvious that in either form of my invention shown in the drawings the steering pressure instead of being directly transmitted from the arm 13 to the arm 2 through abut- .ments, such as 16, may be indirectly transmitted through the head 14:, the rolls 10, and the rear ends of the recesses in which said rolls lie.

I claim- 1. In a locking device, a fixed lockin g memher having two opposed locking-surfaces, a

rotary member to be moved, a pair of auto- -matic clutches located on the same side of the rotary axis of said rotary member and acting simultaneously in opposite radial directions on the respective lockingsurfaces to lock said arm to the fixed locking member, and a rotary actuator to release the clutches androtate the rotary member.

2. In a locking device, a fixed locking-segment having two opposed locking-surfaces,

, an oscillatory arm to be moved, two-pairs of GEORGE P. ABORN.

Witnesses:

R. M. PIERSON, M.'B. MAY. 

